Your gifts have the power to ensure American Indian scholars get the funding to start and continue their education. Help us reach our goal of raising $500,000 by December 31st, so more Native students can stay in school next year and graduate.

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Meet Our Scholars

- Stand With Us -

I look forward to being able to look back and say, I did that, and I hope that somebody can see what I did and take it further and go beyond. -Natasha

13% of American Indians have a college degree – and that’s just wrong! The American Indian College Fund is changing this by helping more Native American students start and complete their college degrees.

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Robin

- Stockbridge-Munsee -

Psychology/Information Technology

Salish Kootenai College

People can take you to places you can't go on your own.

Robin is empowered by the feeling that there are people who are listening to her story. And she is taking that inspiration to change the way minority women are represented in technology field. Robin is currently pursuing her degree in Psychology and Information Technology from Salish Kootenai College. Not only is she changing the perspective of her peers regarding technology field, but she is also representing Native women in mainstream media – in 2015 she was featured in a Microsoft-funded series “Road Trip Nation – Codetrip.” For Robin being Native is all about the work that she does within the communities that she is in. With her college degree she plans to create the same opportunity that was given to her by the community and American Indian College Fund donors.

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Show your support

Stand up and show your support for more American Indians starting and completing their college degrees. Download and print this sign, take your photo, and share via Facebook or Twitter. Tell the world why you chose to Stand With Us. Make sure to include #StandWithNativeStudents in your comment!

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Sadie

- Lakota and Dakota -

Graphic Design

Imagine for a moment that there is only one color in the world. Now imagine there are hundreds more. How does that change your perception of everything around you?

In the world of graphic design, Sadie’s research is influencing how the design industry views tribal visual sovereignty. Sadie, a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Graphic design at North Carolina State University. Her work and her research on American Indian design is helping to bring attention to the fact that every tribe has their own unique identity and imagery, and that Native imagery is more than just feathers and dream-catchers. This departure from the easily recognizable symbols will open a space for every tribe to explore and share their own traditional visual imagery with the world. Sadie’s visionary work will enrich our understanding of Native visual languages and unique voice inherent to each American Indian tribe and nation.

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Brook

- Blackfeet Indian -

Blackfeet Community College

Political Science

My personal passion is to be the voice of my community and be a leader. I want those who see me and hear me to know that you can achieve anything.

Brook is investing in himself and his community by pursuing his degree in political science, with the goal of becoming a tribal lawyer. He is grateful for the support he’s received from the American Indian College Fund, which allows him to continue his education and has opened opportunities he had only dreamed of. As a member of his student senate, Brook recently traveled to Washington DC — the first time he has ever traveled off his reservation. His achievements and success have spanned beyond his community to inspire others across Indian Country. Brook honors his past, recognizing it’s made him the person he is today; and by completing his education he will become the person he wants to be in the future.

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Isabella

- Anishinaabe -

Psychology

University of Redlands

Things have a way of circling back. Our traditional foods and our language are coming back.

Have you ever been motivated by the hardships that you’ve faced? Isabella is one of those people who has. When Isabella saw many of her friends and family members suffer from cancer and diabetes as a result of poor nutrition, she knew that she had to address the root cause of the problem – unhealthy foods. Thus, she was inspired to combine her passion of food with health. In essence, her passion lies in helping our communities cultivate a closer relationship with food through techniques that support our local agriculture and food production. Isabella plans to research about the ways food impact different individuals. And she wants to decrease the rates of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease by re-incorporating traditional foods back into our diets.

Isabella is currently getting her bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Redlands. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she plans to get a master’s degree in nutritional psychology and help people by implementing a better food system in our homes, towns, and villages.

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Waycen

- Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation -

Applied Science

Fort Peck Community College

It is my dream to see others like me get an opportunity to be something they always wanted to be; to follow our dreams and ensure ourselves a better future.

Waycen’s future plans include completing his four-year degree in technology and graphic design and to use both his areas of expertise to open his own business. Waycen is very thankful for the opportunities the American Indian College Fund has opened up for him, as college wasn’t something he was able to afford without help. The love and support he receives from his family, coupled with the financial support and mentoring he receives from the College Fund, pushes Waycen to do his best, feeds his determination to succeed and inspires him to build a better life for himself, his family and his community.

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Brian

- Lac du Flambeau -

Natural Resources

UW Stevens Point

If a Native American student is successful, it means they're beating the odds. Once I've finished my college education, it's going be the happiest day of my life

Brian, a recent graduate of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College (LCOOCC), is now enrolled at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, and is pursuing his degree in natural resources. His goal is to complete his education by earning his Ph.D. Brian’s passion is to bridge traditional understanding of the environment with modern science to create a more productive and efficient use of nature that is adaptable to how we use the land today. While the support Brian receives from his family inspired him to pursue a college degree, financial support from the American Indian College Fund has enabled Brian to stay in school and become a role model for struggling teens in his community.

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Justina

- Oglala Lakota -

Indigenous Liberal Studies

Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)

We look for the future, because the future lies within us.

Wanting to positively influence both the physical and emotional health of Native youth inspires Justina to continue working toward completing her education. As part of her studies she has developed an innovative approach to creating a healthy youth community in the midst of national problems, such as mass incarceration of juveniles, by incorporating her indigenous values in a rehabilitation protocol. Her approach addresses both developing a strong sense of identity, as well as a strong commitment to and sense of community, resulting in healthier individuals and healthier communities. Justina is so grateful to the American Indian College Fund for supporting her in her incredible journey…a path she would not be traveling without the scholarship support she’s received.

"The American Indian College Fund stepped in which was significant because if it wasn't for them after the first semester, I wouldn't have continued college."

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Lauren

- Cherokee Nation -

BS in Business Management (Spring '15)

For those people who think that Native American youth aren't interested in building a better life and are content living in poverty, I know 1,200 Haskell students who are breaking that cycle!

Lauren currently works for Boston Financial Data Services in Lawrence, Kansas. Lauren was drawn to Haskell Indian Nations University as a place where she would be among other Native students and where she could learn more about her own Cherokee heritage, other tribes, and Native peoples. Lauren’s passion lies in dispelling misperceptions about Native youth; and being a smart, driven and successful young woman, she does that with every person she meets. She is grateful for the support she’s received from the American Indian College Fund and looks forward to a future filled with all the opportunities available to her because she has her college degree.

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Natasha

- Chippewa-Cree Indian -

Tribal Historic Preservation

Salish Kootenai College

I look forward to being able to look back and say, I did that, and I hope that somebody can see what I did and take it further and go beyond.

Natasha, a wife and mother of five children, is also a 3.90 GPA student at Salish Kootenai College, where she found her life’s purpose in tribal historic preservation. Passionate about giving Native people a voice, Natasha is working to preserve the nation’s history through policy in government. Natasha is thankful for the financial support she’s received from the American Indian College Fund, as well as the recognition she’s received for her hard work and leadership. Natasha is inspired to continue her work to give Native students and all Native people a voice.

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$10

Be a Monthly Donor

Join our Circle of Strength monthly giving program. Your monthly donation of $10 or any other amount will provide a steady stream of support, and will help us provide much needed scholarship to worthy American Indian scholars.

The Circle of Strength monthly giving program is a special group of American Indian College Fund supporters who make monthly gifts to show their consistent support for American Indian scholars.

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Cholena

- Shinnecock Indian Nation -

Sociology and Anthropology (2014)

Stony Brook University

I want to discover history and I want to bring our story to the public, because it's important not only to indigenous peoples history, but to the world's history.

Cholena is currently working on research for her PhD. Her fascinating work mirrors her equally fascinating upbringing. Cholena is a member of the Shinnecock Nation and grew up on the reservation, located right in the middle of the wealthy South Hamptons in New York. While Cholena’s tribe is poor, she was grounded by an understanding of her culture and history, but was also able to seize the opportunities around her, gaining a global perspective of the world. Her work is driven by recent revelations of her ancestor’s presence in ports as far away as Hawaii and New Zealand, and evidence of their impact on establishing the whaling industry and modern day economics. Cholena thanks the American Indian College Fund for helping her complete her education, allowing her to give an indigenous voice to the world’s history.

"Thank you for supporting me and giving me a chance to succeed. Your generosity has inspired me to be giving.
"

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Show your support for American Indian scholars!

Want to make a difference but don’t know how? Have a passion for education and want to change a student’s life? There are endless ways to get involved and raise funds and awareness of American Indian students and the American Indian College Fund.

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Waylon

- Lummi Tribe and Northern Cheyenne -

American Indian/Native American Studies and Anthropology

When I speak, I will be prepared and my voice will be heard. The words I share do not belong to me. They belong to my community because they helped me obtain that knowledge.

Waylon is working towards two bachelors degrees at the University of New Mexico, with the goal of becoming a Law Professor in American Indian/Native American Studies. Waylon believes that an education is the avenue for success and that success means being able to provide solutions to problems where there are none. Waylon is thankful for the financial and career readiness support he’s received from the American Indian College Fund as he prepares to forge ahead and fulfill his life’s purpose through his work.

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Alberta

- Navajo Nation -

Indigenous Liberal Studies with emphasis on Tribal Law

Institute of American Indian Arts

My ancestors didn
t struggle so I couldn
t make anything of my life. I know I am living their prayers.

Alberta, a National Honor Society student, is thriving at the Institute of American Indian Arts, where she is receiving not only an education, but is also a member of a caring and supportive community, which includes mentors and tutors. Alberta plans to attend law school so she can use her law degree and her mastery of the Navajo language to bridge communication among tribal members and other communities in the areas of legislation and policies.

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Ensure your legacy with a planned gift to the American Indian College Fund to provide Native Americans with access to a higher education. Legacy gifts support and sustain the American Indian College Fund while also helping you to achieve your personal, financial, and estate planning goals. Create a lasting legacy by including the American Indian College Fund in your will or trust, as a beneficiary of stock, life insurance, or other appreciated assets, or by creating a memorial gift or endowment gift now to be funded later through your estate.

Contact the American Indian College Fund’s Planned Giving department at 303-426-8900 (x353) today or click here.

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Jordon

- Navajo Nation -

Public Health

Dine College

Consistency and determination are driving forces to reaching one's dreams, but assistance and opportunities from the American Indian College Fund make dreams a reality.

Jordon knows the future of healthcare is meeting patients where they are, both physically and mentally. A public health major, Jordon’s goal is to one day become a healthcare administrator so he can provide evidence-based care to his patients, complimented by his knowledge of their culture and limited resources. He uses the example of problem solving for diabetic patients who need a refrigerator for insulin when he knows they don’t own one. Jordon is thankful for the support he’s received from the American Indian College Fund, which has truly made a difference in his life. And more than that, Jordon is humbled by the support he’s received and is fortified by the knowledge that there are people who don’t even know him, but care about him and all American Indian students.